Luke 11:23 kjv
He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
Luke 11:23 nkjv
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
Luke 11:23 niv
"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Luke 11:23 esv
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Luke 11:23 nlt
"Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
Luke 11 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 12:30 | He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather... | Direct parallel to Lk 11:23. |
| Josh 24:15 | ...choose this day whom you will serve... | Call to make a clear decision for God. |
| 1 Kgs 18:21 | How long will you go limping between two different opinions? | Elijah challenges neutrality between God and Baal. |
| Matt 6:24 | No one can serve two masters... | Impossible to simultaneously serve God and another lord. |
| James 4:4 | ...friendship with the world is hostility toward God? | Worldly allegiance is spiritual enmity. |
| Rom 8:7 | For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God... | Natural mind is in opposition to God. |
| Rev 3:15-16 | ...lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I will spit you out of my mouth. | God rejects indifference or neutrality. |
| Jn 3:18-19 | Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not... | Choice between belief (light) and condemnation (darkness). |
| Acts 4:12 | And there is salvation in no one else... | Exclusivity of salvation through Christ. |
| 1 Jn 2:19 | They went out from us, but they were not of us... | Departure indicates a prior lack of true belonging. |
| Matt 3:12 | ...he will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will.. | John the Baptist on Christ's work of separation and gathering. |
| Jn 10:16 | And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring... | Jesus gathering all His sheep into one flock. |
| Ezek 34:12 | As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered... | God's divine act of seeking and gathering His people. |
| Luke 15:4-7 | ...leaves the ninety-nine in the open country and goes after the.. | Illustrates divine pursuit to gather the lost. |
| 2 Cor 6:14-16 | What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? | Impossibility of unity between opposing spiritual natures. |
| Amos 3:3 | Do two walk together unless they have agreed to meet? | Need for agreement or common purpose for unity. |
| Mal 3:18 | ...you shall again see the distinction between the righteous... | Clear separation between those serving God and those not. |
| Heb 10:25 | not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but... | Encouragement for believers to gather for mutual encouragement. |
| 1 Cor 10:21 | You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. | Cannot partake in allegiance to Christ and evil forces. |
| Phil 2:13 | ...for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work... | God empowers active participation in His will. |
| Matt 25:32-33 | ...he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates... | Final judgment separating those aligned with Him from those not. |
| Col 1:16-17 | For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth... | All existence originates from Christ and has purpose in Him. |
| Psa 1:1 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked... | Contrast between following godly and ungodly paths. |
Luke 11 verses
Luke 11 23 Meaning
This verse declares an uncompromising principle regarding allegiance to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom work. It asserts that in the spiritual conflict between the Kingdom of God and the dominion of evil, there is no neutrality. One must either be actively aligned "with" Jesus, supporting and participating in His mission of "gathering" people into the Kingdom, or by their opposition, inaction, or attribution of His power to evil, they are effectively "against" Him, resulting in "scattering" or hindering the advancement of God's redemptive purpose.
Luke 11 23 Context
Luke 11:23 forms a crucial concluding statement in Jesus' rebuttal to the accusation that He cast out demons by the power of Beelzebul (Luke 11:15). After demonstrating the logical fallacy of a kingdom divided against itself (Luke 11:17-19) and asserting that His exorcisms were by the "finger of God" (Luke 11:20), Jesus provides the analogy of the "strong man" (Satan) being overcome by one stronger (Jesus) (Luke 11:21-22). This verse (11:23) then seals the argument, clarifying that faced with His undeniable power and mission, there is no option for passive observation or fence-sitting. It mandates a clear alignment: one is either on His side, contributing to His work of "gathering" souls for God's Kingdom, or one is, by definition, opposed to Him and thereby "scattering" or working against His divine purpose. The spiritual battle is absolute, requiring decisive allegiance.
Luke 11 23 Word analysis
- He/Ὁ (Ho): The masculine definite article "the one who," referring to a specific person or principle. It implies a universal application, encompassing anyone who adopts this stance.
- not/μὴ (mē): A negative particle used in Greek primarily for subjective or conditional negation, often conveying prohibition or a conceived (rather than factual) negation. Here, it indicates a failure to be with or to gather.
- with me/μετ' ἐμοῦ (met' emou): "Met' " implies close association, companionship, and active participation alongside someone. "Emou" (me) refers directly to Jesus. This phrase denotes active alliance, fellowship, and a shared purpose with Christ.
- is/ἐστιν (estin): Third-person singular of "to be." States a definitive reality or identity. "Is" makes the conclusion absolute: lacking active alliance is active opposition.
- against me/κατ' ἐμοῦ (kat' emou): "Kat'" here, in composition with "emou" (me), implies hostility, antagonism, or acting against something or someone. This emphasizes a direct, active counter-stance to Jesus.
- gathereth/συνάγων (synagōn): From "synagō," meaning to bring together, collect, assemble. It signifies the active work of building and bringing people into the Kingdom of God, a work Jesus performs and calls His followers to. It reflects the purpose of God in reconciliation and unification.
- scattereth/σκορπίζει (skorpizei): From "skorpizō," meaning to scatter, disperse, separate, or squander. This contrasts directly with "gathering." To scatter implies undoing the work of unity and collection, frustrating the growth and consolidation of God's Kingdom.
Words-group analysis:
- He that is not with me is against me: This first clause establishes the non-negotiable nature of allegiance to Jesus. It posits a clear, binary choice: alignment or opposition. There's no room for neutrality or disinterest regarding Christ's person and mission. To merely not be with Him, without actively opposing, still places one against Him by virtue of not being allied for Him.
- and he that gathereth not with me scattereth: This second clause expands on the implications of the first, shifting from the state of "being" (with or against) to the act of "doing" (gathering or scattering). It emphasizes active participation in God's Kingdom. If one does not actively engage in Jesus' work of gathering souls into the Kingdom, then their very inaction, or separate agenda, leads to the dispersion, hindering, or weakening of what Christ is building. This implies that spiritual non-participation effectively aids the opposition, causing people to drift away or be divided. The act of "scattering" does not necessarily imply intentional malice but is the effect of not "gathering with" Christ.
Luke 11 23 Bonus section
This verse stands in critical distinction to Luke 9:50, which states, "For he who is not against us is on our side." While seemingly contradictory, these two statements are complementary, speaking to different aspects of Kingdom dynamics and different audiences. Luke 11:23 addresses a fundamental allegiance to Jesus Christ Himself, especially in light of His supreme power over evil. It speaks to the ultimate "wholeness" of spiritual loyalty: one is either fully with Him, contributing to His core mission of gathering souls, or against Him. This statement is directed towards those who might question or deny Jesus' divine authority, implying that there's no neutral ground when it comes to one's ultimate disposition towards the Son of God and His Kingdom.
Luke 9:50, on the other hand, deals with the operational recognition of those performing good works in Christ's name, even if they are not part of the immediate circle of disciples. It cautions against an exclusive mindset among His followers and suggests that any action genuinely serving God's kingdom, even by an apparent "outsider," should not be hindered if it genuinely contributes to Kingdom good and is not hostile to Christ. Thus, Luke 11:23 defines the ultimate spiritual allegiance and participation required of all humanity in relation to Christ's definitive arrival, while Luke 9:50 provides guidance for how disciples should relate to external workers whose activities align with God's purposes, though they may lack formal discipleship.
Luke 11 23 Commentary
Luke 11:23 powerfully asserts the exclusivity and demanding nature of following Jesus. It dismantles any illusion of neutrality in the grand spiritual reality. Jesus, in His identity as the Son of God, and in His mission to establish God's Kingdom, does not offer a third option of non-alignment. The first declaration, "He that is not with me is against me," serves as a stark truth, indicating that a failure to actively support Christ's redemptive work places one, by default, in opposition to it. This is not about passive disinterest but about fundamental allegiance when faced with the divine invasion of the world by Christ.
The second part, "and he that gathereth not with me scattereth," provides a practical dimension to this truth. Christ is actively "gathering" people into His Kingdom, healing and reconciling them to God. Therefore, anyone who does not participate in this "gathering" process—whether through active opposition, indifference, or pursuing self-serving agendas—contributes to "scattering." This scattering describes the dispersal, division, or loss of what Christ is endeavoring to bring together. The implications are profound: simply being an onlooker or having an alternative (non-Kingdom) focus inadvertently works against the divine purpose. The verse calls for an active, intentional, and exclusive commitment to Christ and His work of salvation.